U.S. Sen. John Curtis hosted two days of roundtable discussions with local officials, business leaders and utility providers in St. George, Utah.
There were three discussions, each focusing on housing, water and power.
“Utah’s growth brings tremendous opportunities, but it also puts pressure on housing, power, and water,” said Sen. Curtis. “Families want to know their children can afford to live here and that our infrastructure can keep up. These conversations help me understand where federal policy can be helpful and where it’s creating unnecessary obstacles for the people doing this work locally.”
The housing discussion focused on making homeownership more accessible and affordable for Utah residents, particularly families.
According to the press release, Curtis emphasized his efforts to simplify the requirements for domestic building materials and allow developments on underused postal service land and near public transit.
The water roundtable discussed the Colorado River management, infrastructure and multi-state coordination.
In the press release, Curtis “highlighted water reuse, conservation, and the need for bold, audacious investments to address the state’s growing demand for water amid sustained economic growth.”
The energy discussion focused on developing affordable and reliable energy in southern Utah. Curtis also discussed the need for potential geothermal, nuclear and other energy projects.
Throughout the water and energy discussions, the group considered data center issues. Curtis emphasized the need for greater transparency so local communities can be involved in the planning process, understand potential effects on local resources and be aware of infrastructure costs.
Curtis recently introduced two bills dealing with data center transparency. These include the Data Center Transparency Act and the Data Center Community Empowerment Act. The transparency act involves improving reporting on water consumption, energy usage and other environmental impacts. The Community Empowerment Act allows local leaders access to expertise on the proposed projects and potential costs.
To learn more about Sen. Curtis and his platform, visit his website.
Author: Lainey Porter
Photo courtesy of Sen. Curtis’s press team
Editor: Charlee Steed
